Seagate Unveils Giant Space Data Storage, Enabling Faster Satellite Analysis
Seagate is pushing the boundaries of space data storage with a new device. The storage unit, larger than a typical computer hard drive, is currently housed in a small satellite provided by BAE Systems. This marks a significant step towards more capable hard drives in low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.
Seagate plans to refine this space-specific storage device next year and release it commercially for LEO operators in 2026. The aim is to facilitate faster and more insightful analysis from space by reducing the need to download data to the ground for processing. Inter-satellite links, key to accelerating communications with the ground, will enable LEO satellites to transmit news without waiting for ground stations.
Jon Trantham, principal technologist at Seagate, envisions the use of large data pools augmented with AI processing hardware as a new application for space. Michele Faragalli, CTO of Mission Control, echoes this, highlighting the importance of onboard AI for missions requiring high levels of autonomy in support of real-time operations.
Seagate is already testing a four-terabyte, solid-state drive attached to the International Space Station for the past two months. The company aims to balance affordability and ruggedness, offering a cheaper alternative to military-grade hardware. This could pave the way for new types of space missions, such as robotic subsurface exploration and autonomous coordination of multiple space-based assets. Phison Electronics, the company developing a new terabyte-capable solid-state storage system for use in Earth orbit, has partnered with Seagate for testing such storage outside the ISS.
Expanding data storage in space is crucial for enabling more powerful AI systems to process larger data volumes directly from orbit. Seagate's advancements in space storage, coupled with AI processing hardware, could revolutionize how we operate in space, making missions more autonomous and efficient.
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